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NIALL

I woke, my hand searching for Anna. Her side of the bed was empty, and I sat up, listening. She wasn’t in the bathroom. I shrugged on my robe and headed to the living room. She was standing in front of the window, looking outside, her forehead pressed against the glass.

I walked up behind her, pulling her into my arms. “You were gone.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Nervous about flying?” She had never been on a plane. Never left the province.

“A little.”

“It’s private. No strangers. Only us.”

“I know.” She smiled softly. “And the newlyweds.”

Finn hadn’t been able to wait. He’d married Una in a private ceremony on his terrace, with Anna and me as witnesses.

He insisted he’d waited for too long already, and Una didn’t object.

They still planned a party in Ireland and another when we came home.

But that moment, that day, was for them.

They married at dawn, then disappeared for the next thirty-six hours.

Finn appeared at his desk after lunch, looking like Finn, except with a contented, happy expression. And a wide gold band on his left hand.

We had put the trip off for two more weeks, wanting Anna healed and to make sure everything was covered here. I had been counting the days.

I searched my brain. “What is making you so nervous, then?”

She sighed, and I held her tighter. “Tell me. Let me fix it.”

She met my eyes in the glass. “You always want to fix it.”

“Yes.”

“What if, once she meets me, your mum doesn’t like me?”

I barked out a laugh. “Impossible. She was so happy about Finn and Una. When I told her about you, she was beside herself. You’ve talked to her.

Several times. FaceTimed her. She is crazy about you already.

” I bent and kissed her neck. “You love her son. You make him so happy, she couldn’t help but love you. ”

“It’s so fast. What if she…” Anna shrugged. “Once she meets me, she might change her mind.”

“Impossible,” I repeated. “She will love you even more. She is so excited. Finn and Una married, me bringing home the woman I love—” I stopped speaking. “No, wait.”

“What?” she murmured.

“Let’s change up the dialogue.”

She frowned, her reflection confused. “What?” she said again.

I slipped the box from my pocket where I had it hidden and held it in front of her. “I think with Finn married, I should bring home my fiancée.”

She stared down at the box, not touching it. I turned her in my arms and held the box out again. “Please. Marry me.”

She looked up, tears glistening. “Niall,” she murmured. “Are you sure?”

I tipped up her chin and kissed her, a gentle press of my mouth to hers.

“I am more certain of marrying you than I have ever been of any decision in my life. I was meant to be the one who rescued you. You were meant to be mine. I want to take you to Ireland and introduce you to Mum as my intended.” I kissed her again.

“I’d like to marry you there, but they have a strict three-month waiting period. ”

She gazed up at me, love shining in her eyes. She clutched the intricately carved box in her hands, cradling it as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

“Really?”

I smiled. “You have to say yes first. And look at your ring.”

“Yes.”

“Open your ring, mo mhuirnín, ” I instructed gently.

She paused, biting her lip, then opened the lid and gasped. I grinned at her reaction. I took the box from her hand, sliding the ring onto her finger. “Perfect.”

I had chosen a flawless two-carat diamond set in white gold with rose gold accents.

The band was intricate and dotted with tiny diamonds set among leaves and tiny flowers.

The wedding band I would add soon went around the ring, encasing it on both sides with more elaborate work and completing a Celtic knot on either side of the center diamond.

It was unique, beautiful, and one of a kind—just like the woman I was going to marry.

“It’s the most beautiful ring I have ever seen,” she whispered.

“Una helped me. She said you wouldn’t like one like hers. I thought this one would suit you.”

“It’s so…” She looked up. “Niall, I love it. It’s perfect. I love you.”

“So, that would still be a yes?” I teased.

“Oh! Yes! Yes!” She flung her arms around me, and I held her close, thrilled with her reaction, her answer, and the fact that my mum would be beyond ecstatic.

I pressed a kiss to Anna’s head. “It’s gonna be an amazing trip,” I promised. “Mum is going to love you even more than she already does. I’ll show you Ireland. I get you all to myself for ten days.” I grinned. “That is the best part.”

She snuggled close. “Yes, it is.”

“Ready to come back to bed? I have this urgent need to make love to my fiancée. Help her relax.”

“Oh,” she murmured, pressing closer and feeling my need. “ Oh . Yes.”

I lifted her into my arms and carried her back to bed.

TWO WEEKS LATER

I stood by the bar, the noise and merriment filling the pub endless.

Music was being played, the fiddle and drums beating out a lively tune.

Tables groaned with food. Mum’s friends, neighbors, and locals blended.

Far too much whiskey and liquor were being consumed. The laughter was loud and boisterous.

And I was smiling so widely, my face hurt.

I watched my shy, timid Anna dance with one stranger, then another.

She was passed around like a box of chocolates on Christmas Day.

One hand to the next—and she was fine. More than fine.

She was happy, relaxed. Laughing, her head thrown back, her long hair brushing the top of her sweetly curved ass.

She wore a dress Mum had bought her—a throwback to medieval days with a long white blouse-thing underneath and a vivid blue front-laced corset-type style over the top.

The blouse had long, lacy sleeves, and the front dipped low with another froth of lace.

The dress had slits up the front, flashing her legs as she danced, and Anna was beyond sexy in it.

Una was beside her, dressed the same, but hers was green.

With her red hair, she was the perfect Irish lass, yet nothing could hold a candle to my Anna.

Mum was on the other side of the room, clapping and laughing, her eyes full of love for her two new daughters.

Even though Anna and I weren’t married yet legally, Mum didn’t care.

She adored them both, but she loved Anna with a fierceness only a mother could have, and I was happy to see how well they got along.

Finn came up beside me, leaning on the bar. “Grand,” he murmured. “What a fecking grand day.”

I laughed. “Anna mentioned how strong your brogue is again—she’s right.”

“You should hear yourself.” He chuckled and threw back his whiskey. “Roisin throws quite the party.”

“That she does.”

“Anna looks incredible. So happy.”

“So relaxed,” I added. “No nightmares, no worries, nothing here.” I took a sip of my drink. “I hope it continues.”

“Same for Una. She isn’t afraid of anything here.”

I chuckled. “Maybe because the two of them have charmed the whole population of the town. No one would get near them without being torn to shreds by the locals.”

Finn laughed in agreement. “Especially the males. Look at Tim Driscoll. Eighty years of age and he’s dancing with our women like someone half his age. If someone came at them, he’d fight like a champ.”

“Maybe we should stay here,” I murmured.

Finn blinked. “Really?”

I shrugged. “If Anna were happier here, I’d move in a heartbeat. Luckily, she doesn’t want to.” I eyed him. “You’d do the same for Una.”

“I would.” He winked. “Lucky for me too, she doesn’t want to stay either. But the break has been good for them.” He paused. “Us too.”

I added more whiskey to our glasses. “Did Mum tell you she got the green light to come back with us? She’ll be there for my wedding. And your party.”

“She did. Una and I are thrilled. I hope we can get her to stay for a while.”

“She’s bringing Connie and Maggie with her,” I informed him, referring to her two best friends.

“Jesus. They almost killed us last time.”

I threw back my head in amusement. “This time, Una and Anna can help. And we can beg Roman to let them stay at his hotel for a few days. Gamble and see the sights. Give us a much-needed break.”

Finn shook his head. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. I’ll owe the man so much, I’ll never be able to pay him back.”

Then his face softened as he looked back at the dance floor. “But worth it.” I followed his gaze. Mum was on the dance floor now with the girls, teaching them some Irish steps. All three were laughing with their arms around one another as they tried to follow her footwork.

“That is as grand a sight as I ever saw,” I muttered. “Who knew all it took to make Mum happy was to be happy ourselves?”

Finn threw his arm over my shoulder. “Who knew, indeed. Let’s go show these women how it’s done.”

I side-eyed him. “How drunk are you? You haven’t tried an Irish jig since we were kids.”

“No time like the present.”

The way Anna was beckoning to me with her beautiful eyes and her hand outstretched, I decided he was right. I downed the last of my whiskey.

“Let’s go.”

I woke the next morning facedown on my bed.

I was stretched across the mattress, clad only in my boxers.

There was a god-awful racket coming from somewhere in the room, and when I pulled myself up, I discovered Finn passed out on the floor, a blanket over him, snoring like he was a seventy-year-old man with a smoking addiction.

I sat up carefully, not wanting to make the jackhammers in my head any louder.

Where the feck was Anna, and why was Finn on the floor?

I stood on my shaky legs and kicked his foot. He made a strange sound and rolled over, the snoring immediately starting again.

I pulled on some sweats and went to the bathroom, emptying my bursting bladder, brushing my teeth, splashing cold water on my face to try to wake up. I took some pain meds and looked at myself in the mirror.